OAK TREE : Pedroza Stays, Wins Six of Seven

If Martin Pedroza was unhappy before Saturday about being without a Breeders’ Cup mount, he isn’t anymore.

With the big names away in Florida, the 27-year-old Panamanian won the first six races on the program at Santa Anita.

Pedroza’s bid for a sweep fell short when Forlock, a 10-1 shot, finished sixth in the afternoon’s finale. Pedroza became the third rider in track history to win six in a row, joining Bill Shoemaker, who did it in 1962, and Laffit Pincay, who won six in a row the day he won seven times in 1987.

Before the Breeders’ Cup began, Pedroza won Oak Tree’s three morning races, scoring with favored Redneck Ways in the first, Father Six To Five in the second and Crystaltransmitter in the third.

About 30 minutes after A.P. Indy capped the Cup with a victory in the Classic, Pedroza picked up where he left off, winning the Commissary Handicap with Now Showing, a maiden race with Cut To Run, then finished with an easy victory aboard favored Regal Groom in the $77,125 Morvich Handicap.

“Since the day my baby (Brian) was born, this is the biggest day of my life,” Pedroza said. “When I was an apprentice, I won five races at Hollywood Park, but I got taken down once, so four winners was the most before in one day. I really thought I was going to have a big day (Friday). Instead, I had five seconds. Actually, it was six, but they pushed me up to first on a disqualification (with D’Or Ruckus in the Cascapedia Handicap).

“So, I went home last night and said I was going to try to make it firsts today instead of seconds. Most of the time today, I had my choice of several mounts. Almost all of the top 10 jockeys were out of town, so it was a great opportunity for me.

“My agent (Rich Silverstein) made a few switches. Thanks to him, I got the right mounts today. Things just went great.”

Regal Groom beat 10-1 shot Bailarin by 4 1/2 lengths in the Morvich, which was moved to the main track because of Friday’s rain.

A 5-year-old son of Runaway Groom, Regal Groom completed the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16 4/5 over the muddy surface. Repriced was third and Waterscape last in a field reduced by the scratches of Showbrook and Time Gentlemen.

Owned by Joe and Emilio Estrada and trained by Caesar Dominguez, Regal Groom has won 11 of 38 starts at distances ranging from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles on both dirt and turf.

“The race set up perfectly,” Pedroza said. “The two horses that I thought would go early (Bailarin and Waterscape) did, and I just wanted to be covered. I felt I was on the best horse and I just wanted to keep him clear and let him have room to run.

“This horse is push-button all the way. He handles any distance any surface. He worked five furlongs in the mud in 1:00 flat the other day, so I knew the surface wouldn’t be a problem.”

Vastly improved since being introduced to the turf by trainer Paco Gonzalez, Visible Gold will go for her fourth consecutive victory in the $81,600 Louis R. Rowan Handicap today at Santa Anita.

Winless in 10 starts on the main track, the 4-year-old Deputy Minister filly put together back-to-back allowance victories at Hollywood Park and Del Mar, then held on to win the Osunitas Handicap Sept. 12 at Del Mar.

A wire-to-wire winner in all four of her turf successes, Visible Gold hasn’t been worse than third in six starts on the grass. To be ridden by Laffit Pincay, she is owned by John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery and is the 7-5 morning line favorite.

Vijaya, who was last in the Las Palmas Handicap in her most recent start, is the 3-1 second choice. The 5-year-old Lear Fan mare was third behind Visible Gold in the Osunitas. Kent Desormeaux will ride for trainer Richard Mandella.

The other entrants in the one-mile Rowan are Happy Wife; Let’s Sgor, the beaten favorite in her U.S. debut Sept. 9; Avant’s Gold; Slew Of Pearls, who has been idle since May 29 and is winless since 1990; and Fortissima.

Horse Racing Notes

Jockey Martin Pedroza said that he could feel his confidence growing as the day went on. “I never hit (Regal Groom). On another day, I might have beat the heck out of him,” he joked. . . . Russell Baze, who rode at Santa Anita on Saturday, once won eight races in a row. He won six consecutive races on Sept. 1, 1984, at the Bay Meadows Fair, then won with his first two mounts the next day. . . . Defending champion Kostroma and Flawlessly head the list of invitees to the $400,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes next Sunday. . . . In the race before the Rowan today, a 6 1/2-furlong allowance, La Spia will make her first start since finishing second to the late Pleasant Stage in the 1991 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. . . . For the record: Star Glimmer was claimed by trainer Jedd Josephson.